Assessing the consumptive safety of fish with different mercury content in its muscles (water bodies of Vologda Oblast as a case study)

Abstract

The mercury content in muscle tissues of fish from the water bodies of Vologda Oblast varied within 0.001–2.492 μg/g wet weight. The minimum average values were recorded for rainbow trout and smelt (0.025 and 0.066 μg/g), while the maximum average – for asp and smelt (0.401 and 0.472 μg/g). In 12.1% of the studied non-predatory and 9.5% of predatory fish specimens, mercury concentrations exceeded the RF standard levels established for these groups of species (≥ 0.3 μg/g and ≥ 0.6 μg/g, respectively). The proportion of the examined fish, the consumption of which would result in exceeding the permissible weekly mercury intake (RfD according to US EPA) made up 50% for preschool children (2–5 years), 37% for primary school children (6–10 years), 24 % for a secondary school age (11– 15 years), and 18% for adults.

Keywords

• freshwater bodies
• non-predatory fish
• predatory fish
• consumption recommendations
• calculation of safe doses